June 15, 2008 – Happy Fathers Day
Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers out there and a special happy father’s day to one dad in particular…my dad!
Happy Father's Day!
The wind lashed at my tent throughout the night as the fabric popped and cracked under the strain. When I finally got up the nerves to leave the relative comfort of my tent, I found myself struggling to breathe as the 30 mile/hour winds stole my breath and froze my nostrils.
When the wind blows at Summit, you have to kick your way out of the tent in the morning. Drifting snow piles up on anything sitting on the surface.
We haven’t yet received much snow from this weather system but blowing snow has drifted on all of the structures and paths. Walking in this -30 C wind chill presents its own problems. Exposed skin wants to freeze in an instant. Soft drifts of snow require much effort to plow through as ones boots fight to gain traction. But…isn’t this what we came here for?!
![Footprints, Flip-Flopped](/files/members/craig-beals/images/scouredfootprints.jpg "Barry and Luke strain against the wind to make it to the warmth of Sat Camp. Alongside them are "upside down footprints". These represent a trail that was used before the storm and footprints from earlier walkers packed down the snow. When the wind came through it scoured out all of the loose snow around the footprints and left these interesting structures.")
Barry and Luke strain against the wind to make it to the warmth of Sat Camp. Alongside them are "upside down footprints". These represent a trail that was used before the storm and footprints from earlier walkers packed down the snow. When the wind came through it scoured out all of the loose snow around the footprints and left these interesting structures.
The forecasters of the team expect the wind to decrease through Monday and pick back up toward the middle of the week. The wind has been coming in from the north and renders most of our measurements useless. The generators and machinery are located in the main camp which is north of Sat Camp and a north wind brings pollutants toward the teams instruments in the south. So, the next few days might prove to be pretty slow for the Summit Campers. Most will probably catch up on rest, play board games and watch a movie or two.
Tonight, as I write this journal, most everybody sits huddled in the warmth of the Big House waiting out the storm. Tomorrow Craig Clements and I will share the noble title of "house mouse”! More about that later!
Food update: Sunday is the (much deserved) day of rest for the Summit camp staff. So we enjoyed Rosemary’s leftovers for lunch and dinner.
Stay Warm!!